


Orange Fabric

by pikablob



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Link wants to wear a skirt, Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Sibling Bonding, gender non-conforming Link, that's it that's the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:54:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21832516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikablob/pseuds/pikablob
Summary: Link is scared to be himself; Aryll just wants her big brother to be happy.
Relationships: Aryll & Link (Legend of Zelda), Link & Link's Grandma
Comments: 6
Kudos: 53





	Orange Fabric

Nights like these were Link’s favourites. It was the middle of summer, the air pleasantly warm, and a gentle breeze was blowing off the ocean. Overhead the sky was clear, pinpricked with hundreds of stars, and moonlight bathed the island. The only sounds were the distant calling of gulls and the gentle splashing of the waves on Outset Island’s shores.

But despite it all, Link couldn’t relax. He had come up to Aryll’s Lookout, hoping to let the calm of the evening distract him from the things troubling him. But his mind was still whirring with thoughts and worries, unable to unwind. Every time he tried to relax, to focus on nothing but the sights and sounds, the same insidious thought would force its way to the front of his psyche.

The cause of his concern was a small bundle of soft orange fabric, buried deep at the bottom of his closet where neither Granny nor Aryll would be likely to find it. He’d bought the thing on impulse from a passing trade ship, and ever since then he had wanted nothing more than to wear it. But the thought of what everyone else on the island might think scared him, so there it remained. No matter how much he reassured himself, how many times he told himself he was worrying too much or that this was stupid, he still couldn’t bring himself to actually wear the thing.

“Big brother?” a small voice asked. He jumped, glancing in the direction of the source. Aryll looked back, dark eyes filled with curiosity, scrambling off the ladder and onto the wooden floor of the lookout.

“ _Hi Aryll,_ ” he quickly signed.

“Mind if I sit with you?” she asked innocently. He shook his head, forcing a smile. She smiled and walked over, sitting down beside him and sticking her legs through the railing so they dangled above the sea.

“It’s really pretty up here,” she observed quietly. He nodded absently. For a moment they sat in silence, with only the sound of the waves for company. Finally she spoke again. “Hey, big brother?”

“ _Yes?_ ”

“You’ve been really distracted lately,” she said innocently. “Is something bugging you?”

“ _It’s nothing,_ ” he signed, shaking his head.

“Nothings don’t bug people,” she pouted, “C’mon big brother, you can tell me!” He paused, looking her up and down. She wouldn’t judge him, would she?

“ _Promise you won’t laugh?_ ” he signed slowly.

“Cross my heart!” she said firmly, balling one tiny hand into a fist and placing it on her chest. He regarded her for a moment, before slowly signing again.

“ _Do you think boys can wear skirts?_ ”

There was a beat of silence. A dozen different emotions seemed to cross Aryll’s face, before she suddenly broke out into a wide grin.

“You wanna wear a skirt?!” she blurted. He cringed, expecting a laugh to follow. She seemed to notice, her smile shrinking. “Of course boys can wear skirts, silly; anyone can if they want to!” He breathed a sigh of relief, breaking into a small smile at her ready acceptance.

“I bet you’d look really pretty in a skirt, big brother,” she went on, “Or maybe even a dress! You should totally get one! I’d let you borrow one of mine but they’re probably too small for you…” She trailed off. He tapped her shoulder, and she looked up. “Huh?”

“ _I already have one,_ ” he signed, “ _I bought it off a trading ship, but I’ve been too scared to wear it._ ”

“You should definitely wear it!” she grinned. “I wanna see, and I’m sure Grandma will love it too!”

He smiled, feeling a tentative warmth fill him. His hands signed a quick “ _thanks_ ” before he even had time to really think about it, and he reached over and pulled the girl into a gentle hug. She giggled, snuggling into him.

“You’re such a dork, big brother."

* * *

Link slept in late the next morning. He didn’t get up until the sun was well into the sky, filling his small room with warm light. When he did stir it was slowly, and he sat up and yawned lethargically. Only then did the memory of last night come back, and he glanced over at the closet as he thought back to the conversation at the lookout.

He slipped out of bed and walked slowly over to it, throwing the doors open. A row of tops in various shades of blue greeted him, with pants and other clothes folded in neat piles on the shelf below them. But he ignored all that, digging behind the folded clothes until his hands closed on soft orange fabric.

He pulled the skirt out carefully, holding it up to the sunlight. It was a simple thing: plain pale orange and just about knee-length, and he couldn’t wait to wear it. He quickly pulled on the rest of his clothes, choosing a pale blue top that hung loosely over his lithe frame. Finally he slipped into the skirt, feeling a spike of adrenaline and joy as he did. It just felt _right_ in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

Slowly he headed for the ladder down into the main room of the house. As he climbed down he heard a quiet gasp from below, and looked down to see Aryll below. Her eyes were wide, and she wore a smile bright enough to light the whole room.

“Big brother!” she exclaimed as he reached the ground. “You look so pretty!” He just smiled, feeling warmth fill him.

“Yes, it’s very fetching on him,” another voice croaked. He turned to see Grandma standing at the oven, a wry smile on her face.

“ _You think so?_ ” he signed, walking over. She nodded.

“Of course,” she said gently, pride twinkling in her eyes, “It suits you. I’m proud of you for having the courage to be who you are.”

“ _Aryll helped,_ ” he signed sheepishly, looking back at his sister, “ _A lot._ ”

“And good thing too,” Grandma said knowingly, “That skirt has spent far too long gathering dust already.” He jumped at her words; behind him, Aryll audibly gasped.

“How did she know?” she whispered. Grandma pretended not to hear, winking at Link instead.

“Now, I’m sure you want to go and show the rest of the island?” she asked. He nodded weakly, caught off guard. “Then go,” she smiled, “And make sure to be yourself.”

“ _Thanks,_ ” he signed, “ _I will._ ”

“C’mon big brother!” Aryll interrupted, reaching out to grab him by the arm. She started dragging him towards the door; he smiled back at Grandma, then started walking after the girl.

His confidence swelled as they reached the door. For the first time in a long while he was really being himself, and the worries about what people would think all seemed to melt away. As he stepped out into the early morning sun, feeling the sea-breeze blowing gently across the island and his skirt fluttering in it, he felt ready to face anything.


End file.
